About Our Program

erin_mcclain@unc.edu
919-808-0989

Erin McClain is Assistant Director and Research Associate with CMIH, where she directs a variety of statewide perinatal training and technical assistance initiatives. She brings over 20 years of experience leading health systems change and quality improvement initiatives in areas including preterm birth prevention, safe infant sleep, perinatal incarceration, and implementation of evidence-based tobacco use screening and counseling for providers serving women of reproductive age, with a specialized focus on low-income and marginalized women. Ms. McClain also focuses broadly on the health of women of reproductive age, engaging in qualitative research with postpartum mothers and women with chronic conditions. She has her Master of Public Health in Maternal and Child Health from UNC-Chapel Hill. Ms. McClain previously worked with displaced women and families, both in the US and abroad, and she earned a Master of Arts in International Affairs from American University in Washington, DC.

Megan Canady, MSW, MSPH (she/her) has nearly 20 years of experience in public health. Her involvement includes both local county and statewide efforts as a trainer, researcher, and program director. Ms. Canady participates in several projects at the Collaborative for Maternal and Infant Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She leads the state’s safe infant sleep campaign, Safe Sleep NC, leading activities to strengthen the adoption of infant safe sleep practice statewide. Ms. Canady provides training and technical assistance for health care providers across North Carolina with the perinatal tobacco cessation quality improvement initiative, You Quit, Two Quit. She also coordinates various efforts to enhance the care and treatment of incarcerated pregnant and postpartum people in North Carolina. The aim of her work is to equip professionals, organizations, and communities to best serve North Carolina families.

Jaimie Lea, MPH, IBCLC, (she/her) has worked with CMIH as a Research Associate since 2016. Jaimie got her start with CMIH working on You Quit, Two Quit: Perinatal Tobacco Cessation Quality Improvement Project. Jaimie continues to provide training and technical assistance to improve provision of tobacco cessation treatment to women in North Carolina. In recent years, Jaimie’s role has expanded to include supporting multiple programs and research studies, including ACURE4Moms, Partnering to Navigate PCOS, and BELIEVE. Jaimie particularly enjoys working on projects that involve qualitative research, implementation science and reproductive justice. Jaimie is also passionate about lactation support and is looking for more ways to support lactation in her community.

Megan Scull Williams, MSW, MSPH (she/her) is a Research Associate with the Collaborative for Maternal and Infant Health at UNC Chapel Hill, where she works to improve outcomes for moms and babies through the translation of academic evidence into practical tools for local providers and communities. She has spent 20+ years in public health, during which she has provided program/research management, evaluation, training, technical assistance, and direct service in settings including non-profit organizations, universities, and the military. She’s a long-time trainer for the You Quit, Two Quit program, a qualitative researcher for the ACURE4Moms project, and helps lead the efforts to elevate the concerns of pregnant people in jails and prisons in NC. As the only Asheville-based member of the CMIH team, Megan has a particular focus on the Western region of North Carolina. Megan completed her undergraduate studies at The University of Notre Dame and completed both a Master of Public Health and Master of Social Work from UNC Chapel Hill, where she was a Public Health Leadership Fellow.

Cindy McMillan (she/her) is a dedicated maternal health advocate and Administrative Support Specialist with over a decade of experience in community-based birth work. She has supported the You Quit, Two Quit program since March 2025 and the ACURE4Moms research study since 2021, providing vital administrative coordination and program support. Her contributions help ensure these initiatives operate efficiently, expanding access to tobacco cessation resources and promoting equitable maternal care across North Carolina. In addition to her administrative role, Cindy is a certified community-based doula, doula trainer, breastfeeding peer counselor and childbirth educator. She co-founded Sistas Caring 4 Sistas, Inc. and Black Rose Integrative Group LLC to address systemic inequities in maternal health and uplift doula professionals working to improve birthing outcomes in their communities. Her advocacy is rooted in building relationships, sharing evidence-based education, and promoting safe, respectful, and culturally responsive birth experiences. Cindy is also trained to support families navigating substance use disorders and perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, and she continues to pursue specialized training to deepen her impact and reach.